cassette
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a small plastic case with magnetic tape inside, used for playing or recording music and videos.
n.a flat, rectangular plastic cartridge containing magnetic tape on two internal reels, used for analogue audio or video recording and playback.
Simple“I found an old cassette of my favourite band in the attic, but I don't have a player anymore.”
In context“Before the digital revolution, the compact cassette was the primary medium for home recording and portable music consumption.”
UsageOften used with 'tape' as in 'cassette tape'.
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.a lightproof container used to hold photographic film.
n.a light-tight container designed to hold and protect photographic film or plates before and after exposure.
Simple“The photographer carefully loaded the film cassette into the camera in the dark.”
In context“In traditional radiography, the technician must ensure the X-ray cassette is properly aligned with the patient to avoid image distortion.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.the set of gears on the back wheel of a bicycle.
n.the cluster of sprockets mounted onto the freehub of a bicycle's rear wheel.
Simple“He had to clean the cassette on his bike because it was covered in mud.”
In context“The mechanic recommended replacing the cassette and the chain simultaneously to ensure smooth shifting under heavy load.”
Synonymsgearssprockets - 04 C2 Proficiency
v.to record sound or video onto a cassette tape.
v.to record audio or video content onto a magnetic tape cartridge.
Simple“In the 1980s, people would often cassette songs from the radio.”
In context“The interview was cassetted for archival purposes, though the quality of the magnetic medium has degraded significantly over the decades.”
“Or you can even make music physical again through the horrible medium of cassettes: all that plastic, all those tiny liner notes, all that high-speed dubbing.”
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kap- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *kapyéti Proto-Italic *kapjō Proto-Italic *kapsos Latin capsa Old Northern French casse Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Italic *-tosder.? Latin -ittus Old French -ete Middle French -ette French cassettebor. English cassette Borrowed from French cassette.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.